Fwiw: it IS possible to r&r alternator from the engine bay on an EF with a bseries
 

Chassis: 88 std
Motor: b18a1 (non vtec)

Last week my battery light started flickering.

The car also started running like ass.

I revved it out a bit one day and the car started falling on its face.

Later I noticed the battery light came on.

I could drive over 3k rpm and the light would flicker and go away.

Below 3k, it would stay on.

I checked battery and alternator connections.

All good.

I checked the alternator belt - also good.

I pulled fuse #14 and the light stayed on.

I drove the car yesterday and it finally bogged and cut off on the hwy.

I suspected alternator because the clock and gauges were getting dim.

Being that I was on the side of the hwy, I went ahead and removed the alternator.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...148FF7B902.jpg

It IS possible if you simply remove the brake master cylinder and bend the brake hard lines.

I wouldn't normally recommend this, but in an emergency situation it is doable.

I got a ride to autozone, and $137 poorer I now have a lifetime warranty replacement.

The alternator removal took 5 minutes.

Wiggling it out from under the bmc took closer to 45 minutes.

Reinstall was about the same amount of time.

It is a huge PITA, but again it is doable.

In the future, I think I will replace sections of the brake hard lines with braided lines so I can easily r&r the alternator using this same method.